In December of 1935, Henry Ford was urging people to give their families a new Ford V-8 for Christmas.  Can you imagine finding a ’36 Ford with a big red bow on the driveway Christmas morning?

They called it “The Greatest Ford That Ford Ever Built,” an automobile with everything you could wish for including beauty, safety, comfort, V-8 smoothness, speed, power, dependability and economy of operation.

It was a gorgeous car with fat fenders and a distinctive, 1936-only grille with vertical bars:

 

The V-8 engine had 221-cubic inches and 85 horsepower.  Ford advertised that no breaking in was required, claiming you could drive it 60 miles an hour the day you bought it, and, after the first 100 miles, “as fast as you desire.”

 

Ford also described it as “the car that does all things easily, ” meaning that  It drove easily because it had speed, power and acceleration and responded to your touch “like a well-trained horse”.  It was also easy on the pocketbook with prices starting at $510.

 

A ’36 Ford is getting harder to find, not to mention afford, but it would still make a terrific Christmas present (if you really, really love someone).

 

Merry Christmas!